Summer is almost here and with it will be lazy weekends spent at home as well as hours at the ballfields for my sons’ games.

In order to avoid the “I’m bored” broken record once school is out and to encourage good behavior, I made an idea jar for us to pull ideas out of when we can’t make up our minds or when the kiddos deserve a special treat. I combined creative ideas from several lists to make it specific for our area as I wanted to stick with free or very cheap activities.

Here is my list:
Ha Ha Tonka State Park
Big Spring Park
Explore a new part of town
Tennis
Street hockey
Basketball
Volleyball
Badminton
Bike ride
Morse park trail
Play board games
City pool
Creek
Lake
NWA
Make dessert
Picnic
Candlelit Dinner
Make a news show
Scavenger Hunt
Show
Puzzle
Karoake
Legos
Reading time
Water balloon fight
Tea party
Yoga
Make a writing code
BBQ
Spa night
Play Charades
Work out
Lift Weights
Play frisbee
Color/draw
Sprinkler
Campout
Sidewalk chalk
Write letters to family
Play with Larry the dog
Dress up Larry the dog
Food art
Go fishing
Make a fort
Obstacle course
Paint rocks
Nature Hike
Play memory
Mini golf
Dance party
Stargaze
Make popsicles
Make nature rubbings
Fly a kite
Skip rocks
Wash the car
Ice Cream Sundae party
Feed the ducks/fish
Go to the library
Play soccer
Magazine clipping collage
Play I-spy
Bake food for neighbors
Eat watermelon
Catch some lightning bugs
Ride bikes
Ride scooters
Feed the birds
Make sun tea
Go yard saling
Go to the donut shop for breakfast
Read outside
Blow bubbles
Have a sleepover
Make your own pizza
Watergun fight
Make tie-die
Geocaching
Play hide and seek
Hit golf balls
Batting cages
Go to drive-in
Go bowling
Make a wind chime
Science experiments
Go to a baseball game
Have a weenie roast/s’mores
Have a race
Hickory Creek boat race
Make paper airplanes
Make a bird feeder
Make pasta necklaces
Microwave Ivory soap
Make toy parachutes
Fun with glow bracelets
Bat with water balloons
Road trip
Walk to the flea markets
Walk to the coffee shop
Walk to the donut shop
Sidewalk Mancala with chalk
Play catch
Cloud watch
Diet coke and mentos mix
Run at the football field
Make a stepping stone
Balloon tennis
Go to the Crowder trail
Go camping
Night walk with flashlights
Pictionary
Eat every meal outside all day
Make a solar oven
Take something old apart
Play poker with pennies
Make and play cornhole
Painter’s tape on floors to make lava
Solo cup wall building
Toothpick–mini marshmallow building

The kids were so stoked when they read the list. I was surprised by their favorite ones. The library? Cloud watching? Mmkay…

I have this lovely jar I acquired that was just perfect for our project. We are all excited to have a free night the next few weeks to start trying some of the ideas! 🙂